SERUM LAMININ IN LIVER-DISEASE - AN ENZYME-IMMUNOASSAY STUDY

Objective: To quantify the diagnostic Power of serum laminin as a mark er of liver cirrhosis. Design: An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay fo r measuring serum laminin was developed and sera from 127 patients wit h hepatitis of differing etiology were assayed. The results were compa red with those from healthy controls and patients without hepatic dise ase. Results: All patients with chronic hepatic disease had high-serum laminin levels, with the highest level being found in those with live r cirrhosis. There was no increase in serum laminin levels in patients with acute hepatitis, non-hepatic disease, and positive hepatitis B v irus carriers. Conclusion: Determination of serum laminin levels may b e helpful for the diagnosis of liver cirrhosis caused by viral hepatit is.